Toilet seat and method for producing same

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a WC seat characterized in that it comprises:
         a metal tube  3  curved in a U and having a flat top surface,   two plugs  8  each closing one end  6  of said metal tube  3  and each having an orifice, said orifices being substantially aligned in a transverse direction, and   a tilting spindle  9  received in said transverse orifices in the plugs  8  and fixed in said transverse direction.       

     The invention also concerns a method of producing such a WC seat.

The present invention relates to a WC seat, and to a method for producing such a WC seat.

One problem with which manufacturers, operators and users of public conveniences are often confronted is that of the wear of the conveniences, either by simple intensive uses thereof or by intentional vandalism. The components of public conveniences must therefore preferably have good qualities of mechanical strength and thermal and chemical resistance, as well as good sanitary qualities. For this reason, manufacturing for example WC bowls, sinks or urinals from metal, and in particular stainless steel, is already known to persons skilled in the art.

However, WC seats generally continue to be produced from other materials and therefore constitute a weak point particularly subject to wear. This is because the production of metal elements, in particular with ductile and corrosion-resistant metal materials, such as stainless steel and aluminum or aluminum alloys, have particular drawbacks that substantially increase the production cost. These materials, already expensive, are in particular difficult to weld.

One object of the present invention is therefore that of providing a WC seat the main external surfaces of which are metal but which can be produced at low cost.

With this object, a WC seat according to the present invention comprises a metal tube curved in a U and having a flat top surface, two plugs, preferably made from synthetic material, each closing one end of said metal element and each comprising an orifice, said orifices being substantially aligned in a transverse direction, and a tilting spindle received in said transverse orifices in the plugs and fixed in said transverse direction. This WC seat can therefore be produced simply and at low cost while having very good strength qualities both in intensive use and even under intentional vandalism.

The metal tube may originally have been provided with this flattened transverse section. However, given that it is easier to obtain metal tubes with a round cross section and curving thereof is also easier, it is advantageous for the transverse section of said metal tube to be flattened by pressing, preferably after curving.

According to an alternative embodiment the transverse section of the metal tube may be essentially rectangular. In this case, the transverse section can be formed by folding a sheet of metal material followed by a curving of the folded metal sheet or by extrusion. If the transverse section is formed by folding and curving a metal sheet, the two edges of the metal sheet can be welded after folding.

Advantageously, said metal tube may be made from stainless steel. This material has particularly advantageous qualities of corrosion resistance, as well as good hygiene qualities. In addition, its ductility also facilitates curving and pressing thereof, and its thermal conductivity coefficient that is particularly low for a metal alloy makes it relatively warm to the touch, which is a certain advantage in this particular application. However, other metal materials, in particular those having good ductility and corrosion resistance, such as aluminum and aluminum alloys, could alternatively be used.

Advantageously, in order to dampen the impact and noise when it is tilted forcibly towards its low position against the bowl, a WC seat according to the invention can also comprise damper blocks fixed to a bottom face of said metal tube, and preferably made from synthetic material.

Advantageously, said metal tube can be filled with solid material distinct from that of the tube, so as to increase its rigidity. This increases the mechanical strength of the whole even with a metal tube with walls that are thinner, and therefore less expensive in terms of material. This solid material may be a granular material, which may therefore be easily poured into the metal tube after curving and/or pressing thereof, a synthetic material, which could be introduced in liquid form into the metal tube and then hardened, or even a synthetic foam, which could be introduced in liquid form in the metal tube and then swollen and hardened.

Advantageously, said metal tube may also comprise transverse orifices aligned with said transverse orifices in the plugs and with said tilting spindle passing through them. In this way, once assembled, the tilting spindle also fixes the plugs in the metal tube, preventing ill-intention removal. Alternatively, however, the plugs may be fixed to the ends of the metal tube by alternative means, such as for example by adhesive bonding, or by pins connecting them transversely to the metal tube.

Advantageously, said tilting spindle may be fixed to at least one hinge comprising means of fixing to a WC bowl.

An additional advantage of the use of a metal material for the WC seat is that information, messages, designs, logos or advertising can be incorporated in this WC seat, in a substantially inalterable way, by etching on a metal surface. This etching can be carried out among other things by laser, acid, or in relief, for example by pressing. However, information, messages, designs, logos or advertising can also be incorporated in the WC seat by other means, such as for example self-adhesive film. This has the advantage of being able to be removed, for example after a time period agreed with an advertiser.

Advantageously, a WC seat according to the invention may also comprise a lid, preferably metal, mounted so as to tilt on said tilting spindle. If the lid is also metal, the aforementioned etching could be effected on a surface of the metal tube and/or on the lid. Even more advantageously, said lid may comprise a grip, for example in the form of an orifice perforated in the lid, to lift it without touching a surface of the metal tube, and therefore more hygienically. This lid may also receive information, messages, designs, logos or advertising by etching or other means, such as for example self-adhesive film.

Details concerning the invention are described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of an embodiment of a WC seat according to the invention, in partially exploded perspective,

FIG. 2 illustrates a view from below of the WC seat according to the invention, and

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically a method of producing a WC seat according to the invention.

The WC seat 1 according to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 also incorporates a lid 2. The body of the seat 1 is formed by a metal tube 3 curved in a U and having a flattened transverse section with a top face 4 and a bottom face 5 that is substantially flat.

The ends 6 of the tube 3 are closed by plugs 8 made from synthetic material. These plugs have orifices substantially aligned in a transverse direction and receiving a tilting spindle 9, which also passes through the orifices 10 in the tube 3 also aligned with the transverse orifices in the plugs 8. This tilting spindle 9 is also preferably made from stainless steel. The tilting spindle 9 is fixed to the plugs 5 by pins 11, preferable threaded.

Between the two ends 6 of the tube 3, the tilting spindle 9 is received in transverse orifices in two studs 12 for fixing the seat 1 to a bowl. The tilting spindle 9 is mounted as to rotate in these studs 12, which thus form tilting hinges for the body of the seat 1. In the embodiment illustrated, each stud 12 is extended by a threaded rod 13 which, with a nut 14, preferably self-locking, and washers 15, preferably made from elastomer material, such as for example neoprene, form means of fixing the assembly to a WC bowl. Screws 16 fix the tilting spindle 9 with respect to each stud 12 in a longitudinal direction of said tilting spindle 9. The studs 12 can also preferably be made from stainless steel.

Although in the embodiment illustrated the inside of the metal tube 3 is empty, it could be filled with a solid material distinct from the material of the tube 3. Its rigidity and mechanical strength could benefit therefrom, without necessarily increasing the cost and weight proportionally. This solid material could be a synthetic foam. However, in alternative embodiments, this solid material could be another synthetic material, or even a granular material such as sand.

The lid 2 is fixed so as tilt on the tilting spindle 9. In the embodiment illustrated, this lid is made from pressed stainless steel sheet and has an orifice serving as a handle for lifting the lid 2 without having to touch the body of the seat 1 or the bowl. Although in the embodiment illustrated the lid has a rounded edge, it can also alternatively be substantially rectangular, so as to facilitate production.

In the embodiment illustrated, both the top face 4 of the tube and the lid 2 have etched surfaces 19, making it possible to display for example advertising messages in substantially inalterable form. These surfaces 19 can be etched by laser or acid or in relief by pressing.

Turning now to FIG. 2, damper blocks 20, preferably made from plastics material, such as an elastomer such as neoprene, are fixed, for example by adhesive bonding or screwing, to the bottom face 5 of the tube 3.

Turning now to FIG. 3, in a first step of the method of producing the seat 1, the metal tube 3, previously cut in a required length, is curved so as to give it the required U shape. Next, if it is provided for example with a round cross section, this is flattened in a press 21, so as to form the top and bottom faces 4, 5 substantially flat. However, this step may be avoided if this metal tube 3 is already initially provided with a flattened cross section. This same step may also serve to etch the surface 19 of the top face 4 in relief, although this can also be etched subsequently by laser or acid.

In the following step, the orifices 10 are machined in the ends 6 of the tube 3. The ends 6 are then closed with the plugs 8.

In parallel, a stainless steel sheet is cut, for example by laser, to produce the lid 2. A cylindrical bar of stainless steel is machined to produce the tilting spindle 9, having bevels at the ends thereof, transverse orifices for fixing thereof to the plugs 8, and radial grooves for rotary mounting thereof in the studs 12. With a plurality of such radial grooves, it is possible to adjust the position of the studs 12 in the tilting spindle 9 in order to adapt the WC seat to different bowls.

The studs 12 are also machined from stainless steel parts, in order to create in each a passage orifice for the tilting spindle, and a threaded orifice, perpendicular to the passage orifice, and serving to receive screws 23 intended to engage with the radial grooves in the tilting spindle 9 in order to fix the latter in a longitudinal direction with respect to the stud 12, while enabling it to rotate about this longitudinal direction.

The tube 3, the lid 2 and the studs 12 are then connected with the tilting spindle 9. These parts are then fixed to one another by the pins 11 and screws 16. The resulting assembly is therefore a WC seat 1 with lid 2 incorporated according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 able thus easily to be mounted on a WC bowl of standard dimensions.

Another method of manufacturing the tube 3 can be implemented from a roll or sheet of metal material. In this case, the metal sheet is first of all folded in order to form a profile that has the same transverse section as described above. The folded metal sheet is then curved in order to form the WC seat. Next the two edges of the folded sheet are welded in order to obtain a closed profile. A laser can be used for welding the edges of the sheet, which makes it possible to obtain a clean, smooth weld.

This profile is manufactured and is in pieces of four or six meters. The profile is then cut into parts of one meter and curved. There is then yet another sawing operation for finishing on the rear of the seat. Finally, the holes are pierced for the spindle and polishing is carried out.

Although the WC seat of the present invention, as shown in the figures, is in the form of a U with edges that are substantially parallel, that is to say at an angle of 0°, it will be clear that the edges of the U shape can be such that the angle that they form with each other is greater than 0°. For example, it may be advantageous to have an angle up to 10° between the two edges so that the curving method is easier to implement.

It is nevertheless possible to start from a profile especially manufactured for the purpose of producing a WC seat according to the invention. It will suffice for this purpose only to curve said profile, and the pressing operation is thus avoided. To avoid the difficulty of curving at 180°, the U of the seat may also be manufactured in two or four pieces, being curved at 90°, which is technically simpler to implement. The two or four pieces constituting the seat are assembled by laser welding. The piece is then polished in order to make the welds invisible.

It is also possible to manufacture the seat from part of a 4 mm thick stainless steel sheet cropped, deburred and rounded in order to give the form of the ring of the WC seat. On this ring there are bonded four neoprene blocks that will serve as dampers when the ring is placed on the WC earthenware. Still on this ring, four protrusions are mounted to hold the main spindle that will serve for attaching this ring to the WC. On this spindle, the two screws for fixing the assembly to the WC will previously have been passed. Each of these screws will have a neoprene protrusion in order avoid any contact between the screw and the WC earthenware, a washer, again made from neoprene, and a stainless steel nut for locking the assembly on the WC. On mounting, two neoprene protrusions that will serve to perfectly center this ring with respect to the WC will previously have been cut to measure. Finally, the lid will also be cut from a 2 mm or 3 mm stainless steel sheet in a rounded shape. This lid will also be assembled by welding with two stainless steel protrusions so that the main spindle can also pass through these protrusions. Finally, the two fixing screws for the assembly are equipped with two locking screws so as to lock the centered spindle. An alternative proposes that this spindle be therefore cleared by a groove that would still hold these two locking screws, the point of which will no longer be conical but flat.

With regard to the manufacturing process, as described above, lugs are welded at the rear of the main piece, in a transverse direction. These have the tilting spindle passing through them.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it is obvious that modifications and changes can be made to these examples without modifying the general scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Consequently the description and drawings must be considered in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. 

1-39. (canceled)
 40. WC seat, characterized in that it comprises: a metal tube (3) curved in a U and having a flat top surface, two plugs (8) each closing one end (6) of said metal tube (3) and each having an orifice, said orifices being substantially aligned in a transverse direction, and a tilting spindle (9) received in said transverse orifices in the plugs (8) and fixed in said transverse direction.
 41. WC seat according to claim 40, in which the metal tube (3) has a transverse section that is essentially rectangular.
 42. WC seat according to claim 41, in which the transverse section of said metal tube (3) has been flattened by pressing.
 43. WC seat according to claim 41, in which the transverse section of the metal tube (3) is formed by folding a sheet of metal material followed by curving of the folded sheet.
 44. WC seat according to claim 41, in which the transverse section of the metal tube (3) is formed by extrusion.
 45. WC seat according to claim 40, in which said metal tube (3) is made from stainless steel or aluminum.
 46. WC seat according to claim 40, also comprising damper blocks (20) fixed to a bottom face (5) of said metal tube (3).
 47. WC seat according to claim 40, in which said metal tube (3) is filled with a solid material in particular a synthetic material.
 48. WC seat according to claim 40, in which said metal tube also comprises transverse orifices (10) aligned with said transverse orifices of the plugs (8) and with said tilting spindle (9) passing through them.
 49. WC seat according to claim 40, in which said tilting spindle (9) is fixed to at least one hinge (12) comprising means of fixing to a WC bowl.
 50. WC seat according to claim 40, comprising an etched metal surface (19) in particular a metal surface (19) etched in relief.
 51. WC seat according to claim 40, also comprising a lid (2), in particular a metal lid, mounted so as to tilt on said tilting spindle (9).
 52. WC seat according to claim 51, in which said lid comprises a grip (18) for lifting it without touching the metal tube (3).
 53. Method of producing a WC seat comprising the following steps: curving a metal tube (3), fixing a plug (8) on each of the two ends (6) of the metal tube (3), and fixing each of the two ends of a tilting spindle (9) in a transverse orifice in one of the two plugs (8), said transverse orifices being substantially aligned.
 54. Method according to claim 53, also comprising a step of pressing the metal tube (3) in order to give it a flattened cross section.
 55. Method according to claim 53, also comprising a step of forming a metal tube (3) from a sheet of metal material in order to give it an essentially rectangular cross section.
 56. Method according to claim 53, also comprising a step of forming the metal tube (3) by extrusion in order to give it an essentially rectangular cross section.
 57. Method according to claim 53, also comprising a step of etching on a metal surface (19) of said WC seat, in particular an etching by acid or by laser or in relief.
 58. Method according to claim 53, also comprising a step of filling said metal tube (3) with a solid material. 